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The  Garden  Patch 


'Twas  Byron  who  said, 
"The  ladies  inspired  the  Muse.' 
But  to  vegetables  I'm  wed. 
And  dame  nature  choose. 


Copyright.  1912 

By  E.  D.  FLINT.  Los  Gatos.  Cal. 

All  rights  reserved 


DEDICATED  TO 

My  Garden  Sprite. 
Whose  wise  advice, 
Prolonged  my  life. 


[8] 


To 
Mr.  Marksman  who  did  not  hit  the  mark 


A  MAN  &  A  HOE 


The  man  with  a  hoe, 
To  his  garden  must  go, 
If  he  wishes  to  see 
His  vegetables  grow. 

Any  reasoning  fox 
Can  easily  see 
The  man's  not  an  ox 
Tho'  a  laborer  he  be. 

By  the  hole  in  me  coat 

I'm  a  skipper  afloat, 

When  out  to  my  garden  I  go. 

I  care  not  for  heat, 

The  dirt,  or  wet  feet, 

While  working  with  shovel  and  hoe. 


[3] 


"My  way  is  to  begin  with  the  beginning. 


PREFACE 

This  collection  of  instructions  how  to  grow 
vegetables  is  put  into  book  form  for  the  use  of 
the  amateur  gardener. 

The  writer  has  endeavored  to  stick  closely  to 
his  subject  and  give  in  a  compact  and  concise 
form  the  desired  information  so  that  the  reader 
will  not  lose  time  in  going  over  the  book. 

It  is  arranged  in  alphabetical  order  with 
necessary  index. 

A  few  people  have  what  might  be  called  a 
sixth  sense,  which  enables  them  to  feel  a  sym- 
pathy, a  fellowship,  with  plants  and  trees. 
This  feeling  draws  them  together.  To  these 
people  plants  seem  to  have  sense  and  feeling 
and  they  are  sure  to  succeed  as  gardeners. 
Plants  thrive  and  grow  better  under  their  care. 

Have  you  not  met  people  who  exclaim,  "Is 
not  that  beautiful !"  and  show  by  their  feeling 
that  they  are  filled  with  joy,  and  others  who 
seem  indifferent  and  blind  to  the  beauties 
around  them? 

In  the  delicious  freshness  of  the  early  morn- 
ing, rise  with  the  sun  and  work  in  your  garden. 
You  can  do  all  the  work  necessary  before  it  is 

[4] 


time  for  breakfast  and  not  get  fatigued  and  hot 
as  you  would  later  in  the  day.  Do  not  do  all 
the  work  at  one  time  and  get  tired  and  dis- 
gusted with  labor,  but  have  a  job  coming. 
note — This  is  a  good  agricultural  motto — 
Never  plant  anything  that  is  not  worth  tak- 
ing care  of  and  keeping  alive. 


[5] 


INTRODUCTION 

When  we  are  past  our  prime  or  in  poor 
health,  we  look  for  out  of  door  employment 
and  recreation.  It  is  natural  that  we  should 
seek  mother  earth  and  her  healing  medicine, 
air  and  sunshine,  for  a  cure  for  our  ills.  The 
smell  of  newly-turned  earth  is  fresh  and  health- 
ful. No  class  of  exercise  is  so  good  as  work 
with  pick  and  shovel  in  the  open  air. 

The  love  of  dirt  was  one  of  our  earliest  pas- 
sions. We  began  by  eating  dirt,  wading  in 
mud  puddles,  and  making  mud  pies.  After  we 
have  grown  up  and  sown  our  wild  oats  we 
think  we  would  like  to  have  a  home  of  our 
own,  a  flower  and  vegetable  garden.  We  spend 
our  spare  time  working  in  the  garden  and  learn 
some  of  the  mysteries  of  nature.  We  resolve 
to  retire  from  business  some  day  and  give  our- 
selves up  to  our  favorite  pursuit  and  enjoy  a 
long  rest  in  our  old  age. 

Is  not  this  better  than  to  be  a  slave  to  busi- 
ness and  to  find  no  pleasure  but  in  making  and 
storing  up  wealth? 

The  writer  hopes  by  giving  his  knowledge  to 
the  purchaser  at  a  moderate  cost  to  meet  recog- 
nition from  those  who  have  a  small  garden. 
He  relies  on  the  generosity  and  fraternal  feel- 
ing of  plant  lovers  to  read  his  book  and  pass 
on  to  their  friends,  a  good  word  in  its  praise. 

[«] 


Said  the  man  to  the  weed, 
If  I  do  this  deed, 
My  body  must  hinge, 
For  my  back  gets  a  twinge. 


[7] 


Work   with   the    hands   is   physical;    work   with    the 

brain  divine. 
As  we  are  animals  in  the  likeness  of  God, 
We  should  labor  with  our  hands  and  mind. 


IMPLEMENTS 

It  is  necessary  to  enumerate  a  few  tools  for 
use  in  the  garden : 

The  vineyard-hoe  deserves  first  place  as  it  is 
used  for  digging,  hoeing,  weeding,  mulching, 
planting  and  tamping  the  ground  after  plant- 
ing. It  is  a  strong  durable  hoe  the  points  of 
which  should  be  kept  sharp. 

Garden-hoe. 

Garden-rake. 

Long  handled  spading  fork. 

One  twelve  quart  watering  pot  for  garden. 

One  four  quart  watering  pot  for  hot-bed. 

One  garden  wheelbarrow. 

One  trowel. 

Fifty  feet  ^-inch  garden  hose. 

One  hundred  feet  of  strong  twine. 


[8] 


"Give  me  the  secret  of  the  sun, 
Thereby  the  world  is  ever  run." 


HOT-BEDS 

For  a  small  garden  you  can  make  a  double 
bed,  cover  one-half  with  a  glass  sash  the  other 
with  an  open  lath  frame.  Size  of  hot-bed  3x6 
feet. 

Use  the  bed  covered  with  glass  to  start  the 
seed  and  the  frame  to  make  them  hardy,  before 
planting  out  in  the  garden.  Sow  the  seed  in 
small  shallow  boxes  and  place  on  the  ground 
under  the  glass  in  hot-bed.  You  will  find 
cherry  or  currant  boxes  the  right  size.  This 
method  is  more  convenient  for  moving  the 
plants  from  the  hot-bed  to  garden  than  plant- 
ing the  seeds  in  the  ground  in  the  hot-bed. 
Use  leaf  mould,  sand  and  a  little  well-rotted 
manure  in  your  seed  boxes.  If  you  put  the 
soil  thus  prepared  in  a  hot  oven  it  will  kill 
the  weed  germs,  worms  and  life  of  any  kind 
and  you  will  not  be  troubled  with  weeds  grow- 
ing up  with  your  seed. 


[9] 


"Seed  time  and  harvest.' 


SEED 

Seeds  will  keep  for  years.  Seeds  found  in 
Egyptian  tombs  thousands  of  years  old  have 
germinated  and  grown.  Seed  in  the  ground 
germinates  when  exposed  to  the  air  and  may 
have  been  in  the  ground  for  years. 

Seed  will  keep  for  five  or  ten  years,  but 
nurserymen  do  not  keep  it  for  more  than  one 
year.  The  average  time  for  seed  to  germinate 
and  show  above  the  ground  is  six  days. 

Seeds  sown  in  the  fall  must  be  watered  to 
start  germination.  If  the  ground  is  level  sow 
the  seed  in  a  bed  and  make  a  trench  on  the  side 
to  irrigate  the  bed  by  sub-irrigation  and  not  on 
top  as  the  sun  will  bake  and  crack  the  soil  if 
irrigated  on  the  surface.  Cover  the  trench  after 
the  water  has  disappeared. 

Never  plant  the  same  kind  of  plant  in  suc- 
cession in  the  same  part  of  the  garden.  Alter- 
nate planting.  If  you  have  planted  potatoes  or 
any  root  vegetable  in  a  certain  bed,  next  year 
plant  tomatoes  or  some  plant  having  top  roots. 
This  method  of  planting  will  keep  your  soil  from 
deteriorating. 


[10] 


'A  true  repose  of  the  soil  is  a  change  of  its  products.*" 


SEED 

Seeds  germinate  more  quickly  if  soaked  in 
warm  water  over  night.  This  is  true  of  all 
seeds  having  a  hard  shell  as  corn,  peas,  egg- 
plant, etc.  Sow  seed  in  shallow  trenches  in 
heavy  soil  and  in  deeper  trenches  in  light  soil. 
Cover  small  seeds  with  light  covering  of  soil. 

Large  seeds  can  be  planted  three  or  four 
inches  deep.  Always  press  the  soil  down  over 
the  seed  after  planting.  Small  seeds  like  let- 
tuce should  be  sown  broadcast  in  bed  and  the 
rake  used  to  press  the  soil  down  over  the  seeds 
after  planting.  It  is  best  to  keep  seeds  in  paper 
packages,  as  paper  absorbs  the  moisture. 


[ii] 


'They  shall  all  grow  in  fields  of  light, 
Transplanted  by  my  care." 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  PLANTING  AND 
PREPARATION  OF  SOIL 

Nothing  is  gained  b}'  sowing  the  seed  too 
early  in  the  season.  There  is  a  time  for  pre- 
paring the  soil,  making  it  ready  to  receive  the 
seed.  If  the  weather  will  permit,  you  may 
commence  to  prepare  the  ground  for  sowing 
in  March.  If  March  is  stormy,  wait  until  April 
or  even  May  1st. 

Plow  or  spade  under  all  weeds  and  manure 
as  deep  as  you  can.  Then  harrow  or  rake  the 
ground  as  fine  as  possible.  You  must  do  this 
after  the  earth  has  dried.  Do  not  attempt  to 
work  wet  ground,  for  if  the  soil  is  clay  or  adobe 
it  will  turn  up  in  lumps  and  bake  hard.  Divide 
the  garden  into  beds  and  sow  seed  at  your  con- 
venience. The  soil  should  be  warm  and  mel- 
low. Seed  in  wet  ground  will  germinate,  but 
the  roots  will  either  curl  up  instead  of  striking 
down  or  the  germ  will  rot. 

You  should  study  the  fertility  of  the  soil  in 
your  garden  and  the  kind  of  vegetables  that 
will  do  best  in  certain  locations,  as  the  soil 
often  differs  in  even  a  small  garden,  and  you 
should  make  the  most  of  what  you  have. 

[12] 


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"More  studious  to  divide  than  unite. 


ARTICHOKES 

Native  of  Southern  Europe  and  Africa. 

They  are  propagated  from  seed  or  partitions 
of  the  old  roots.  Be  sure  that  the  root  has  one 
or  more  eyes.  Plants  started  from  roots  will 
bear  sooner  than  those  grown  from  seed. 

In  January  prepare  the  ground  by  spading 
and  loosening  the  soil  and  plant  each  root  about 
six  inches  deep  and  three  feet  apart.  Then 
water  to  settle  the  earth  around  the  root.  The 
buds  and  not  the  flowers  are  the  edible  part 
and  should  be  cut  before  the  bud  opens.  The 
French  eat  the  whole  of  the  very  young  buds, 
but  the  English  prefer  the  more  mature  buds 
and  eat  only  the  base  of  the  leaves  and  bottom 
of  the  bud,  freed  from  the  seed-down.  The 
leaves  of  the  plant  are  good  fodder  for  stock. 

The  artichoke  will  grow  in  almost  any  loca- 
tion and  make  a  good  hedge.  The  bud  will 
grow  larger  if  you  tie  a  ligature  of  string 
tightly  around  the  stem  about  three  inches  be- 
low the  bud. 

The  dainty  oddness  of  the  taste 
Repays  one  for  the  seeming  waste, 
It  can  be  served  in  many  ways, 
With  hot  drawn  butter  or  mayonnaise. 

[16] 


What  an  odd  shoot? 

Before  potatoes,  the  ancients  used  the  root. 


JERUSALEM  ARTICHOKE 

Plant  the  same  as  Artichoke.  The  tuber  of 
the  root  is  used  for  food,  cooked  like  the  po- 
tato, boiled  or  mashed,  with  butter  added. 

Care  should  be  taken  to  gather  all  the  roots 
and  not  allow  any  to  remain  in  the  ground,  as 
the  small  roots  will  grow  and  produce  inferior 
plants. 


CARDOONS 

Native  of  Canada. 

The  Cardoon  Artichoke  is  planted  and 
grown  like  artichokes.  The  stem  of  the  leaves 
is  the  edible  part  after  being  blanched,  and  is 
used  in  salad,  soup,  or  stew.  The  leaves  may 
be  kept  a  long  time,  if  covered  with  sand  and 
stored  in  a  cool  place. 


[17] 


To  what  extremes  we  go,  alas! 

When  we  eat  the  head  of  succulent  grass, 

And  hold  in  our  fingers  the  slippery  mass. 


ASPARAGUS 

Native  of  Persia. 

Asparagus  can  be  raised  from  seed  or 
planted  from  year  old  roots,  thus  saving  a 
year  in  waiting  for  the  roots  to  mature.  It 
bears  lightly  the  second  year  and  a  good  crop 
the  third  and  fourth  years.  After  that,  with 
care,  a  bed  should  last  twenty  to  thirty  years. 

Prepare  the  bed  by  mixing  manure  with  the 
soil  and  adding  sand  if  the  soil  is  heavy.  Spade 
in  the  manure  and  level  the  surface  of  the  bed 
with  a  rake. 

Plant  the  seed  in  rows  about  an  inch  deep, 
one  foot  apart.  Press  the  soil  down  over  the 
seed  with  the  back  of  the  rake.  Thin  out  the 
young  shoots  to  one  every  six  inches,  weed 
the  bed  and  keep  the  soil  mulched.  Sow  the 
seed  in  March  or  April. 

When  the  roots  are  one  year  old  transplant 
them  to  the  bed  prepared  to  receive  them.  In 
preparing  the  bed  for  one-year-old  roots  you 
must  first  have  a  bed  that  has  a  natural  drain- 
age or  you  must  arrange  for  artificial  drainage. 
Suppose  your  bed  has  clay  subsoil;  dig  out 

[18] 


the  soil  and  put  rock,  brick  or  other  coarse 
material  at  the  bottom,  then  fill  in  with  sandy 
loam  and  spread  manure  about  four  inches 
deep  and  mix  by  spading. 

The  ground  must  not  be  wet,  but  have  good 
drainage  or  the  roots  will  rot  and  die.  Plant  the 
young  grass  roots  about  eight  inches  deep  and  two 
feet  apart  in  rows,  making  about  four  parallel 
rows  to  a  bed.  Be  sure  and  spread  the  roots  out 
well  in  the  bottom  of  the  hole  when  planting 
and  plant  in  an  upright  position — not  spread 
out  flat.  When  the  young  grass  heads  appear, 
allow  them  to  grow  about  three  inches  above 
the  ground. 

To  harvest  them  take  a  sharp  knife  with  a 
long  blade,  run  it  down  about  four  inches  un- 
der the  ground  and  cut  off  the  shoot  with  a 
slanting  cut.  Care  must  be  taken  not  to  cut 
or  wound  other  young  shoots,  which  are  not 
in  sight.  After  cutting  two  or  three  crops  of 
young  shoots,  allow  two  or  three  shoots  from 
each  crown  of  roots  to  grow  to  maturity.  This 
treatment  will  keep  the  roots  alive  and  strong 
for  next  season. 

After  the  seed  stalks  are  old  cut  them  down 
even  with  the  ground  and  clear  the  bed.  Cover 
the  bed  with  three  or  four  inches  of  manure 
and  spade  in  but  be  careful  not  to  go  deep 
enough  to  disturb  the  crown  roots. 
[19] 


Hen  manure  mixed  with  gypsum  and  sand 
is  the  best  fertilizer,  but  well  rotted  barn-yard 
manure  will  do.  No  fertilizer  should  be  sup- 
plied in  the  spring,  but  lime  and  common  salt 
should  be  spaded  in  with  the  weeds  and  the 
bed  mulched  often  and  kept  free  from  weeds. 


[20] 


'Corn  and  beans,  these  be  twin  brotheri." 


BEANS 

Native   of   North   and    South   America 
and  Palestine. 

Beans  are  of  two  general  kinds,  pole  and 
bush  beans.  The  bush  and  the  pole  beans 
are  both  planted  in  the  garden  for  the  young 
string  beans.  The  pole  beans  are  larger  in 
size  and  more  productive.  The  habit  of  the 
pole  bean  to  climb  makes  it  necessary  to  fur- 
nish some  support  for  the  long  tendrils  that 
start  from  the  top  of  the  young  plant.  Long 
poles  are  driven  into  the  ground  on  the  inside 
of  the  rows  near  the  vines,  tied  together  with 
string  or  rope.  The  tendrils  take  hold  and 
twine  around  the  poles  as  soon  as  they  com- 
mence to  flower. 

The  seed  pods  are  found  on  both  the  bush 
and  the  tendrils. 

Plant  corn  between  rows  to  support  the 
runners. 

Pick  the  pods  when  young  and  tender. 

Water  frequently,  mulch  the  ground  and 
keep  free  from  weeds. 

The  lazy-wife  pole  bean  has  long  green 
pods  and  is  a  favorite  with  the  ladies,  notwith- 

[21] 


standing  its  name.  The  pods  are  easily  broken 
into  pieces  and  have  no  strings  to  the  back. 
Cut  the  bean  pod  lengthwise  and  then  cut  into 
pieces  about  an  inch  long,  for  cooking. 

Before  planting  it  is  advisable  to  mix  the 
seed  of  two  of  the  same  habit,  so  the  pollen 
of  the  flowers  will  mix  and  make  stronger  and 
larger  seed  pods. 


[22] 


This  bean  so  shy, 
Under  sunny  sky. 
Loves  the  salt  air, 
Cool  nights  and  fair. 


LIMA  BEANS 

Native  of  South  America. 

There  are  both  bush  and  pole  limas.  The 
pole  beans  produce  the  larger  seed  and  are 
more  commonly  grown.  The  pole  limas  are 
allowed  to  trail  on  the  ground  and  the  run- 
ners are  cut  off  as  fast  as  they  appear.  The 
young  bean  is  used  after  removing  the  seed 
from  the  pod.  The  dried  beans  are  stored  for 
winter  use.  The  flavor  is  rich,  nutty  and 
sweet,  green  or  dried.  They  grow  best  in  Ven- 
tura and  San  Luis  Obispo  counties,  near  the 
coast. 

Plant  the  seed  when  the  ground  is  dry  and 
warm.  Dig  the  trench  about  three  inches 
deep  and  drop  your  bean,  with  eye  down,  as 
it  is  difficult  for  such  a  large  flat  bean  to  turn 
over  in  the  ground  and  come  right  side  up. 
Cover  and  tamp  the  ground  over  the  seed. 

Thin  the  plants  to  one  every  six  inches. 


[23] 


Beans  for  the  horse,  beans  for  the  cow, 
Horse  beans  for  the  Portugese,  he  knows  how. 
Tis  the  bean  for  the  man  who  follows  the  plow. 


HORSE  BEANS 

Native  of  England. 

Horse  beans  are  planted  in  rows  about  three 
feet  apart.  Drop  a  seed  every  foot  and  about 
four  inches  deep.  They  grow  into  a  tall  bush 
about  three  feet  high. 

Cattle  are  fattened  on  the  dry  beans,  ground 
up  or  broken,  and  are  fond  of  the  green  pods 
and  beans,  but  refuse  to  eat  the  plant  or  leaves. 
The  beans  are  used  for  food  by  Italians,  Por- 
tugese and  Germans.  The  young  beans  should 
be  soaked  in  hot  water  and  the  skins  removed 
before  boiling. 

The  beans  are  roasted  and  ground  and 
mixed  with  coffee  to  adulterate  it,  by  dishon- 
est dealers. 


[24] 


This  succulent  root,  served  hot  or  cold, 
Nothing  can  beat  it  for  young  or  old. 


BEETS 

The  beet  was  first  found  in  the  wild  state 
in  Egypt  and  along  the  Mediterranean  coast. 

Plant  seed  in  rows  about  one  inch  deep, 
two  feet  apart.  Thin  out  to  one  every  six 
inches.  Keep  the  ground  loose  and  free  from 
weeds.  The  tops  make  good  greens,  like 
spinach. 


BEETS 

The  Mangel  Wurtzel  beets  are  raised  for 
stock.     They  grow  to  immense  size. 

Plant  in  rows  about  two  feet  apart  and  in 
furrows  about  two  inches  deep.  When  plants 
are  about  two  inches  high  thin  out  to  one 
every  eight  inches.  Plant  in  the  fall  and  irri- 
gate until  rains  furnish  the  desired  moisture 
or  in  the  spring  about  the  middle  of  May. 


[25] 


Oh!  vegetable  Brussel,  where  is  your  fruit, 
We  have  looked  for  sprouts,  down  at  the  root, 
They  are  under  the  leaves,  down  on  the  stem, 
Why  need  you  further  look  for  them. 


BRUSSEL  SPROUTS 

Native  of  Belgium.     Known  since  1213 
A.  D. 

The  plant  is  grown  from  seed  the  same 
as  cabbage.  Plant  seed  and  thin  out  plants. 
Transplanting  the  young  plants  sometimes 
makes  it  go  to  seed  and  not  grow  sprouts. 

The  sprouts  appear  on  the  stem  of  the  plant 
when  about  six  months  old,  if  they  make  their 
appearance  at  all. 


[26] 


Nestled  in  its  leaves  of  green, 

The  most  eatable  snow-ball  ever  seen. 


CAULIFLOWER 

Native  of  Cyprus  and  Mediterranean  coast. 

Plant  seed  in  the  open  garden  or  hot-bed. 
Transplant  the  young  plants  and  cultivate 
same  as  cabbage.  Water  the  young  plants 
frequently.  Keep  ground  mulched  and  heaped 
around  the  stems. 

The  flower  or  head  is  the  edible  part.  The 
top  should  be  protected  by  tying  the  large 
leaves  together.  This  will  keep  the  head  from 
separating  and  starting  out  in  blossom.  It 
is  both  a  summer  and  winter  vegetable,  but 
does  better  in  winter. 


[27] 


'I  have  fed  like  a  farmer, 
I  shall  grow  fat  as  a  porpoise." 


CABBAGE 

Native  of  Southern  Europe  and  England. 

First  found  wild  with  no  appearance  of  a 
head.  The  seed  may  be  sown  in  the  fall  or 
spring  for  summer  or  winter  consumption.  For 
winter  transplant  the  young  seedling  to  gar- 
den about  the  first  of  October.  For  summer 
sow  the  seed  in  a  box  in  the  hot-bed  about 
January  first  and  when  two  inches  high  trans- 
plant to  the  garden  about  March.  When  the 
danger  from  frost  has  passed,  place  the  young 
plants  in  left  hand  between  the  thumb  and 
finger  and  place  in  a  hole  already  prepared 
about  four  inches  deep.  Place  fine  soil  around 
the  roots  and  cover,  adding  a  cupful  of  water 
to  settle  the  soil  around  the  roots.  When  the 
water  has  disappeared  put  in  more  soil ;  later 
fill  the  hole  when  the  plant  has  grown  and 
you  are  mulching  the  ground.  Water  often 
and  mulch  ground  in  summer. 


[28] 


The  carrot  has  a  fluffy  top, 

Eat  plenty  and  you'll  have  a  "mop." 


CARROTS 

Native   of   the    sea   coast   of    Southern 
Europe  and  England. 

Colors,  red,  white  and  yellow.  The  small 
red  carrot,  called  French  carrot,  is  the  favorite 
for  the  table.  The  white,  red  and  yellow  long 
rooted  varieties  are  used  for  feeding  and  fat- 
tening stock.  It  should  be  started  from  seed 
in  the  early  fall  as  it  is  a  winter  vegetable. 
Plant  seed  in  shallow  furrows  about  one  inch 
deep  and  one  foot  apart.  Thin  out  to  one 
plant  every  three  inches.  If  you  have  not  the 
heart  to  do  this  ask  the  assistance  of  your 
neighbor.  Keep  the  soil  loose  around  the 
roots.  They  do  best  in  sandy  soil.  Heavy  soil 
retards  their  growth,  unless  it  is  worked  up 
fine  and  kept  loose  around  the  roots. 

Carrots  fed  to  cows  give  the  butter  a  richer 
color  and  improves  the  taste  and  quality.  They 
should  be  washed  and  cut  up  and  fed  with  cut 
hay,  bran  or  meal. 


[29] 


How  could  we  flavor  our  salad  or  soup 
If  it  were  not  for  celery  stalk  and  root? 


CELERY 

It  was  first  found  in  the  wild  state  in  Eu- 
rope and  was  rank  and  poisonous.  By  cultiva- 
tion it  has  become  crisp,  sweet  and  juicy.  It 
is  not  often  planted  in  the  garden  as  it  re- 
quires a  deep,  rich,  well  drained,  swampy  soil. 
When  four  to  six  inches  high  the  young 
plants  are  transplanted  to  trenches  for  blanch- 
ing, which  are  about  twelve  inches  deep.  The 
plants  are  repeatedly  earthed  up  until  they 
have  risen  two  feet  or  more  above  the  natural 
surface. 


[30] 


The  root  is  wihite  and  round. 
In  lettuce  salad  often  found. 


CELERIAC 

Sow  in  boxes  in  the  hot-bed.  When  the 
plants  are  about  two  inches  high  transfer  to 
the  garden.  Plant  in  rows  about  two  feet 
apart  and  the  plants  one  foot  from  each  other, 
Keep  the  soil  up  around  the  roots,  give  plenty 
of  water  and  cultivation.  When  plants  are 
growing  remove  the  earth  from  around  the 
roots  and  cut  off  all  lateral  roots,  leaving  only 
the  long  tap  root. 

The  root  is  used  for  salad,  cut  up  in  slices, 
either  raw  or  boiled.  It  grows  best  in  wet  soil 
like  the  celery. 


[31] 


A  beet,  but  not  a  "dead  beat." 


CHARD 

A  native  of  Switzerland. 

It  belongs  to  the  beet  family.  The  root  is 
hard  and  not  edible.  The  leaf  alone  is  used. 
The  large  mid-rib  of  the  leaf  is  stripped  of 
the  soft  green  leaf  and  cut  up  into  pieces  and 
cooked  like  cream  celery,  which  it  resembles. 
The  green  part  of  the  leaf  makes  good  greens 
or  spinach.  It  is  good  stock  food  for  poultry, 
hogs  and  cattle. 

Plant  the  seed  in  open  bed  and  when  plants 
are  about  an  inch  high  transfer  to  the  garden. 
Plant  the  small  beets  about  two  feet  apart  each 
way.  It  will  grow  for  two  seasons.  Break 
off  the  leaves  from  the  roots  as  wanted.  Be 
careful  not  to  pull  up  or  disturb  the  plant. 


What  would  we  do  for  some  Dutch  dishes 
If  we  had  not  Chives  to  fill  our  wishes? 


CHIVES 

Native  of  England  and  Northern  Europe. 

It   grows   and   increases    like    garlic.     The 
leaves  are  used  in  salad  in  place  of  onions. 
[32] 


"With  his  soft  and  shining  tresses, 
With  his  garments  green  and  yellow, 
With  his  long  and  glossy  plumage, 
Stood  and  beckoned  at  the  door." 

CORN  OR  MAIZE 

When  the  new  world  was  discovered  corn 
was  found  under  cultivation  by  the  natives 
from  New  England  to  Chili.  The  Indians  gave 
the  early  settlers  corn  when  they  were  starv- 
ing and  gave  them  seed  and  showed  them  how 
to  grow  it.  There  are  three  distinct  varieties. 
The  field — red,  white,  yellow,  and  variegated 
Dent  or  Flint  corn,  the  white  sweet  corn,  the 
white  and  black  popcorn. 
Dent  Corn. 

The  Dent  corn  is  edible  if  picked  while  the 
corn  is  young.  After  it  ripens  and  hardens  it 
is  ground  into  meal  and  is  used  for  fattening 
animals  and  poultry.  The  plant  is  put  into 
silos,  where  it  ferments  and  is  fed  to  stock. 
Sweet  Corn. 

This  corn  is  grown  for  the  young  ears 
which  are  very  sweet  and  wholesome,  boiled 
or  roasted.  Succotash  is  a  mixture  of  corn 
and  lima  beans. 

Sweet  corn  ripens  quicker  than  field  corn. 
Corn  crosses  very  easily  and  different  kinds 
should  not  be  planted  near  each  other  unless 
you  desire  to  make  a  cross.  Corn  grows  best 
in  the  same  locality  it  was  grown  in  before. 
[Ml 


Keep  the  seed  and  plant  your  own  selected 
seed,  taken  from  the  largest  and  best  devel- 
oped ears.  The  Golden  Bantam  corn  is  a  new 
variety  with  short  ears,  of  rich  golden  color, 
very  sweet  and  nice. 
Popcorn. 

Well,  every  child  knows  what  that  is.  It  is 
white  and  black,  but  after  popping  both  come 
out  a  creamy  white. 

Corn  is  planted  in  hills  about  four  inches 
deep  and  three  feet  apart  and  in  furrows.  The 
seed  should  be  selected  from  the  middle  of 
the  cob.  Do  not  use  the  seed  of  either  end,  as 
it  is  small  and  imperfect.  The  seed  is  usually 
planted  by  a  corn  planter  that  drops  the  seed 
the  desired  distance  apart.  If  planted  by  hand 
in  the  garden,  thin  out  the  plants  two  feet 
apart  and  when  thinning  break  of!  the  two 
side  suckers,  so  the  strength  will  all  go  into 
the  main  stalk.  When  the  corn  swells  and  the 
tassel  begins  to  wilt,  open  the  end  of  the  corn 
husk  and  examine  the  ears  and  see  if  the  seed 
has  filled  out  full  and  round.  If  so  it  is  ready 
to  pick.  If  not  ripe  pick  out  the  corn  worm 
that  you  will  generally  find  there  and  put  your 
heel  on  him.  Fold  back  the  leaves  of  the  husk 
and  the  corn  will  not  be  harmed  and  will  keep 
on  growing.  Hoe  the  soil  up  around  roots. 
This  helps  support  the  roots  and  prevents  the 
wind  from  blowing  the  plant  over. 
[34] 


"Remember  the  fish  Which  we  did  eat  in  Egypt  freely. 
The  cucumber  and  the  leek,  and  the  onion  and  the 
garlic." 


CUCUMBER 

Native  of  Egypt  and  Southern 
Mediterranean. 
Plant  in  hills  about  ten  seeds  in  a  hill  and 
thin  to  two  plants.  Pinch  off  the  ends  of  run- 
ners and  water  often  and  mulch  the  ground. 
The  young  fruit  is  used  for  pickling  and  sliced 
up  in  vinegar.  Do  not  eat  cucumbers  and 
drink  milk;  it  is  fatal. 


COLLARDS 

A  species  of  cabbage  grown  for  leaves.  Plant 
and  cultivate  like  cabbage. 


CORN  SALAD  AND  FETTICUS 

Native  of  England. 
The  plant  is  used  as  a  substitute  for  let- 
tuce.    The  greens  are    cooked    like    spinach. 
Same  culture  as  lettuce. 

[35] 


Oh,  dandy-lion  with  mane  so  white. 
The  children  blow  your  seed  so  light. 
Old  women  use  the  weed  for  tea. 
In  every  garden  a  pest  you  be. 


DANDELION 

A  domestic  variety  with  large  leaves  is 
grown  in  the  garden  for  the  leaves  which  are 
used  for  salad  and  greens  like  spinach. 

It  is  commonly  used  as  a  tonic  for  the  blood. 

Do  not  let  it  go  to  seed.  "A  word  to  the 
wise  is  sufficient."  The  wild  dandelion  is  a 
pest  in  our  gardens  and  destroys  many  a  fine 
grass  lawn. 


"Herbes  that  'have  on  them  cool  dews  of  the  night." 

ENDIVES 

A  vegetable  grown  like  lettuce.  Sow  seed 
in  June  or  July.  Thin  out  plants  to  six  inches 
apart.  When  grown  the  outer  leaves  should 
be  brought  up  around  the  plant  and  tied  to- 
gether. This  whitens  or  blanches  the  inner 
leaves  and  heart. 


[36] 


Oh!  vegetable  tgg,  of  deep  purple  hue, 

Best  picked  in  the  morning  covered  with  dew. 

EGG  PLANT 

Native   of    South   America,    India   and 
Africa. 

Plant  seed  in  a  box  under  the  glass  in  the 
hot-bed  about  February  first.  Soak  the  seed 
in  warm  water  over  night,  no  matter  if  the 
water  cools  off.  Cover  seed  with  light  cov- 
ering of  sand  and  water  once  a  day.  When 
plants  are  about  an  inch  high  transplant  them 
into  small  three-inch  pots.  After  two  or  three 
weeks  plant  out  in  the  garden  two  feet  apart 
each  way.  Cover  the  young  plants  for  a  few 
days  if  the  weather  is  hot.  The  open  end  can 
makes  a  good  cover.  Water  frequently  and 
mulch.  They  like  water  and  heat,  worms  and 
bugs  like  them,  so  you  will  have  lots  of  trouble 
raising  them.  Put  wood  ashes  around  plants 
to  protect  them  from  worms.  The  soil  must 
be  sandy  loam  and  have  warm  exposure.  Ni- 
trate of  soda  placed  around  the  plant  is  a  good 
tonic  and  makes  them  grow  faster.  A  table- 
spoonful  of  nitrate  of  soda  mixed  with  sand 
is  the  right  quantity  for  small  plants. 


[37] 


'Let  garlic  atoms  link  within  the  bowl, 
And  half  suspected  animate  the  whole. 


GARLIC 

Native  of  Europe. 
Separate  the  cloves  of  the  bulb  and  plant  one 
clove,  about  two  inches  deep  and  six  inches 
apart,  in  rows.  When  the  plant  matures  in 
June,  pull  the  plant  up  and  hang  bulb,  with 
top  attached,  in  dry  place  to  be  used  as  wanted. 


"Oh  gently  breathe  a  tender  sigh." 

ROCAMBOLE 

Plant  and  cultivate  same  as  garlic.  Many- 
consider  it  milder  and  better  flavored  than 
garlic,  but  the  bulbs  are  not  as  large. 


"The  biter,  bitten." 

HORSE  RADISH 

Native  of  Southern  Europe. 
Cultivated  in  the  garden  for  its  roots  which 
are  used  as  condiments.     Used  also  as  medi- 
cine.    It  needs  a  deep  sandy  soil.     Increases 
by  planting  part  of  the  old  root. 
[38] 


"Behold  I  have  given  you  every  herb  bearing  seed 
that  is  upon  the  face  of  the  earth." 


HERBES 

You  should  plant  the  following  for  use  in 
seasoning  different  dishes :  Thyme,  sage, 
sweet  marjoram,  parsley  and  mint.  It  takes 
parsley  seed  a  long  time  to  germinate. 

"To  be,  or  not  to  be? 
That  is  the  question." 

KOHL  RABI 

Plant  and  cultivate  like  cabbage.  It  should 
be  transplanted  very  young  when  about  an 
inch  high.  The  root  or  bulb  is  the  edible  part 
and  grows  above  the  ground.  It  is  used  as  a 
substitute  for  turnip  and  for  salad. 


"Come !  give  us  a  taste  of  your  qualities." 

KALE 

Sow  seed  and  cultivate  like  cabbage.  It 
does  better  in  winter.  Seed  should  be  sown 
in  September  and  young  plants  placed  in  gar- 
den when  about  two  inches  high.  It  is  grown 
for  the  leaves,  which  are  broken  off  and  fed 
to  poultry  and  stock. 

[39] 


"No  feast  complete  was  ever  seen, 
Without  fresh  lettuce  crisp  and  green." 

LETTUCE 

Native  of  Asia  and  Africa. 

It  has  been  cultivated  in  England  for  more 
than  two  hundred  years.  It  has  been  known 
from  early  Biblical  times. 

In  the  spring  prepare  a  bed  in  a  sheltered 
spot  by  digging  and  raking  the  soil  up  fine. 
Sow  the  seed  broadcast  and  cover  lightly  with 
the  rake.  Sprinkle  bed  with  water  to  settle 
the  soil  around  the  seed  and  to  start  germina- 
tion. If  weather  is  warm  cover  the  bed  with 
some  light  litter.  When  plants  are  well  grown, 
say  an  inch  across,  take  a  pointed  stick  or  fork 
and  loosen  the  roots  before  pulling  them  out 
of  the  bed.  It  is  important  to  take  up  plants 
with  full  roots.  If  root  is  broken  the  plant 
may  live  but  will  never  do  as  well  as  the  one 
with  large  full  roots.  Plant  in  rows  about 
sixteen  inches  apart  each  way.  Water  the 
young  plant  just  set  out  and  mulch. 

The  lettuce  is  very  hardy  and  can  be  planted 
every  month  in  the  year.  Lettuce  planted  in 
summer  should  be  thinned,  not  transplanted, 
as  the  transplanted  lettuce  will  rapidly  go  to 
seed  and  not  head  up.  Water  often  and  mulch 
ground.  The  variety  called  Los  Angeles  is 
the  best. 

[40] 


It  looks  so  green  and  like  the  grass, 
It  might  be  pulled  for  a  weed,  alas! 


LEEK 

Native  of  Switzerland. 
Sow  the  seed  in  January  or  February  in 
rows  about  one  inch  deep  and  one  foot  apart. 
Thin  out  plants  to  one  every  three  inches. 
Water  and  mulch  often  during  warm  weather. 
It  should  be  gathered  when  the  root  has  devel- 
oped.   It  seeds  the  second  season  like  onions. 


LENTILS 

"The  pottage  of  Esau,"  the  Edam  or  red 
pottage  was  prepared  by  seething  lentils  in 
water  and  adding  a  little  (mantua)  or  suet  for 
flavoring. 

Plant  in  rows  about  an  inch  deep  and  two 
feet  apart.  Thin  out  plants  to  one  every  three 
inches.  It  grows  about  ten  inches  high  and 
needs  no  support.  It  resembles  the  pea,  in 
leaf,  flower  and  seed  pod,  but  the  seeds  are 
small,  flat  and  round. 


[41] 


"Give  us  the  luxuries  of  life  and  we  will  dispense 
with  the  necessities." 


MELONS 

Native    of    Guinea,    India,    Persia    and 
Asia. 

Under  the  heading  melons,  we  will  describe 
watermelon,  muskmelon,  nutmeg  melon,  citron 
melon,  casaba  melon  and  cantaloupe. 

Watermelon, 
Watermelons  are  a  native  of  Africa.  They 
do  best  in  sandy  soil  and  in  a  hot  climate. 
Sow  the  seed  in  hills,  about  six  feet  apart  each 
way.  Thin  out  leaving  one  or  two  plants  to  a 
hill,  water  often  and  mulch.  Stop  watering 
when  fruit  is  as  large  as  a  hen's  egg.  This 
applies  to  all  melons.  Cut  off  ends  of  runners 
to  make  plant  more  compact. 

Muskmelon. 

Muskmelon,  so  named  from  the  musky  odor 
and  flavor.  Sow  seed  in  hills,  place  a  dozen 
seeds  in  a  hill.  Thin  out  to  one  or  two  plants. 
Better  let  three  grow  until  they  are  a  month 
old  so  you  will  have  one  or  two  to  spare  if 
the  cut  worm  destroys  any.  You  cannot  trans- 
plant the  young  melon  successfully  unless  you 
take  up  lots  of  earth  with  the  young  plant. 
[42] 


Nutmeg  Melons. 
Nutmeg  melons  are  a  small,  early  variety, 
fine  for  the  breakfast  table.    Cultivate  same  as 
muskmelon. 

Cantaloupe. 

Cantaloupe  is  a  large  oblong  yellow  melon  of 
good  flavor  when  not  too  ripe.  It  is  a  general 
favorite.     Cultivate  same  as  muskmelons. 

The  network  or  lines  on  the  skin  of  the 
melon  is  caused  by  the  heat  cracking  the  skin. 
Y.ou  can  scratch  a  name  on  a  melon  or  squash 
and  have  it  come  out  in  raised  letters. 

Casaba  Melon. 

Also  called  the  Christmas  melon,  from  the 
fact  it  will  keep  until  after  Christmas.  It  will 
keep  better  than  any  melon  known.  Plant  the 
seed  in  light,  sandy  soil,  as  described  before, 
when  danger  from  frost  has  passed. 

The  melon  is  light  olive  green  wth  slight 
creases  or  ribs.  The  flesh  is  white,  thick  and 
juicy.  The  flavor  is  deliciously  sweet.  When 
ripe  it  can  be  eaten  within  a  quarter  of  an  inch 
of  the  rind.  The  melons  are  about  ten  inches 
long  and  oval  in  shape.  When  the  rind  be- 
comes soft  and  moist  the  melon  is  ripe.  Do 
not  gather  the  melon  until  the  light  streaks 
turn  yellow.  Stow  away  in  a  cool  place  and 
do  not  let  them  touch  each  other. 

[43] 


Citron  Melons. 

Citron  melons  are  both  round  and  oblong 
and  closely  resemble  the  watermelon  in  shape 
and  color.  Boys  often  tap  them  to  see  if  they 
are  ripe  or  carry  them  off  and  find  too  late 
that  they  have  had  their  trouble  for  nothing. 
They  are  good  cut  up  for  pickles,  but  not 
edible.  In  all  melons  the  male  flower  blooms 
before  the  female.  They  are  small  at  the  base 
while  the  female  flower  has  the  shape  of  a 
melon  three-quarters  of  an  inch  long  and  three- 
eighths  inch  in  diameter.  The  male  flowers  are 
in  the  center  of  the  plant  while  the  female 
flowers  are  on  the  runners. 


[44] 


"Will  make  even  heirs  and  widows  weep." 


ONIONS 

Native  of  Persia,  Afghanistan  and 
Egypt. 

It  belongs  to  the  lily  family.  The  Weathers- 
field  Red,  Yellow  Danvers  and  Silverskin  are 
those  usually  planted.  The  red  onion  is  the 
most  common,  the  Silverskin  the  daintiest. 
The  Silverskin  is  a  native  of  Egypt.  It  is  a 
small  white  onion  of  a  mild,  delicious  flavor. 

Onions  are  a  summer  and  winter  vegetable. 
For  winter  use  plant  the  sets  in  September  or 
October.  For  summer  use  plant  sets  January 
to  May. 

Onions  can  be  planted  in  the  same  ground 
year  after  year,  if  ground  is  heavily  manured. 
The  onion  has  two  periods  of  growth,  first 
from  the  seed  to  sets,  second  from  sets  to  ma- 
ture onions.  The  seed  is  planted  in  rows  about 
half  an  inch  deep  and  a  foot  apart.  Cover  seed 
over  lightly,  using  the  rake,  and  press  the  soil 
down  with  the  back. 

The  first  growth  of  young  onion  sets  will 
mature  in  a  few  months  and  the  young  onions 
should  be  pulled  and  dried  in  the  sun,  until 
[45] 


the  tops  are  dried  off.  The  sets  can  then  be 
planted  in  rows  about  a  foot  and  a  half  apart, 
six  inches  separating  them.  Take  a  sharp  stick 
or  dipple  and  make  a  hole  in  the  ground  near 
the  line  which  you  have  set  to  make  straight 
rows.  Place  a  set  in  each  hole  and  let  the  top 
of  set  be  even  with  the  surface  of  the  ground. 
Press  the  soil  around  the  set.  You  will  need 
an  "iron  back  with  a  hinge"  if  you  plant  a 
large  bed.  Sets  will  grow  into  mature  onions 
in  about  eight  months.  The  bulbs  will  show 
above  the  ground,  but  they  do  not  like  to  be 
confined,  so  let  them  have  their  own  way. 
When  the  seed  head  starts,  cut  off  the  head  as 
the  bulb  needs  all  the  sap.  When  the  tops  are 
large  and  drying  up  bend  the  stalk  over  on 
the  ground.  This  will  ripen  the  onion  and 
help  it  to  mature.  If  the  onion  is  allowed  to 
seed  it  will  spoil  it  for  food,  as  the  bulb  will 
not  grow  round  and  full,  but  long  and  pithy 
and  of  no  use. 

Chicken  manure  mixed  with  sand  and  gyp- 
sum is  the  best  manure  for  onions. 

If  you  want  to  raise  your  own  seed  secure 
large  dried  onions,  plant  them  with  tops  even 
with  the  ground.  They  will  grow  one  or  more 
seed  heads,  but  the  onions  will  be  ruined  for  life. 

Keep  onions  in  a  dry  cellar  and  cut  off  the 
tops.     If  they  sprout  new  tops  keep  them  cut 

T46] 


off  and  remove  the  bad  ones  from  the  others. 
Onions  are  one  of  our  healthiest  vegetables, 
either  cooked  or  eaten  raw. 

The  onion  is  carried  to  sea  by  sailors  to  keep 
off  the  scurvy. 


POTATO  ONION 

Do  not  laugfh. 

This  onion  is  very  prolific,  increasing  by 
bulbs  which  it  throws  out  underground.  Each 
bulb  has  a  top  and  six  or  more  may  be  joined 
together  at  the  root,  like  the  potato,  hence 
the  name. 

It  is  planted  from  seed  and  sets  like  the  true 
onion.  It  is  not  large  but  is  useful  when  the 
other  kinds  do  not  keep  well. 


[47] 


Okra  and  gumbo,  for  soup  a  la  mode. 


OKRA  OR  GUMBO 

Sow  the  seed  in  hills  about  April  first.  The 
fruit  or  pods  should  be  gathered  when  young 
and  tender.     They  are  used  in  soup. 


'Dumb  as  an  oyster." 


OYSTER  PLANT  OR  SALSIFY 

The  seed  is  planted  in  rows  about  an  inch 
deep.     Cultivate  like  carrots. 


"Held  in  much  esteem  by  the  Romans,  who  boiled 
them  and  ate  them  with  honey." 


PARSNIPS 

Sow  seed  and  cultivate  like  carrots.  It  is  a 
good  table  vegetable  and  also  used  for  stock 
food.  It  is  rich  in  saccharine  matter  and  adds 
to  the  richness  of  cows'  milk,  if  freshly  dug 
and  fed  freely. 

[48] 


Peppers  red  and  peppers  yellow, 
Good  for  the  liver  of  every  fellow. 


PEPPERS 

Native  of  Brazil. 

Sow  seed  in  a  box  and  place  in  the  hot- 
bed. Transfer  plants  to  garden  when  about 
two  inches  high.     Plant  like  tomatoes. 

The  Bull-nose  or  Bell-pepper  is  used  green 
for  salad  or  stuffed  peppers.  The  long  red  va- 
riety is  ground  fine  and  made  into  cayenne 
pepper.  The  small  red  are  used  in  pickles. 
When  seed  pods  are  ripe  cut  them  off,  string 
and  hang  them  in  cellar. 


[49] 


'With  potatoes  galore,  and  strong  beer  at  one  end, 
In  one  corner  yourself,  the  other  your  friend." 


POTATOES 

Native  of  Peru  and  South  America. 

Potatoes  were  carried  to  England  by  Sir 
Walter  Raleigh  from  Virginia  in  1586  but  did 
not  come  into  general  use  for  a  hundred  years 
after.  The  Spaniards  brought  them  into  Eu- 
rope about  1559  A.  D.  The  tubers  consist 
mainly  of  a  mass  of  cells  filled  with  starch  en- 
closed in  a  thin,  corky  rind.  They  are  three- 
fourths  water.  It  reaches  its  highest  perfec- 
tion in  sandy  soil.  Salinas  valley  produces  the 
finest  potatoes  in  California.  They  grow  in 
great  abundance  on  the  river  bottoms  of  the 
Sacramento  and  San  Joaquin  rivers. 

One  kind  is  known  as  the  Salinas  Burbank 
and  the  other  as  the  River  Burbank.  The 
Burbank  potato  was  an  accidental  cross,  and 
found  in  the  seed  ball  of  an  Early  Rose  plant 
in  the  year  1871  by  Luther  Burbank  when  he 
lived  in  Massachusetts.  He  planted  the  seed 
and  obtained  26  varieties,  of  which  the  "Bur- 
bank" proved  the  best.  The  other  seedlings 
were  allowed  to  die  or  were  destroyed.  The 
year  1873  was  a  boom  year  in  potatoes  in  Eng- 

[50] 


land.  Some  new  varieties  sold  as  high  as  $500 
for  a  single  potato,  to  be  used  for  seed. 

You  must  plant  the  seed  that  grows  on  the 
plant  to  produce  new  varieties ;  trusting  to  ac- 
cidental pollenization  or  by  design. 

The  Early  Rose  is  planted  in  December  for 
early  spring  potatoes.  Potatoes  can  be  planted 
about  March  first  when  the  danger  of  frost 
is  over.  Plant  large  potatoes,  cut  into  sec- 
tions, each  having  two  or  more  eyes.  Or  small 
refuse  potatoes,  about  as  large  as  a  small  hens' 
egg,  with  the  ends  cut  off  to  prevent  too  many 
eyes  starting.  The  large  whole  potato  makes 
the  best  seed.  Before  planting  cover  the  pieces 
with  wood  ashes  or  slack  lime,  it  will  prevent 
seed  from  rotting  and  keep  off  insects  and 
worms.  Let  the  seed  potatoes  lie  in  the  sun 
and  dry  before  planting,  it  prevents  rot.  If 
planted  by  use  of  plow  prepare  the  ground  by 
deep  plowing  and  harrowing.  Plow  a  furrow 
about  four  inches  deep  and  drop  the  seed  every 
foot  or  so  and  cover.  If  planted  by  hand,  place 
the  seed  in  hills  about  four  inches  deep,  one 
or  two  pieces  of  potato  to  a  hill.  When  plants 
appear  above  the  ground  hoe  or  cultivate  the 
ground  around  the  small  plants.  Cultivate 
often,  bring  the  soil  up  around  the  plant  to 
cover  the  small  potatoes  that  grow  near  the 
surface.     The  surface  potatoes  if  exposed  to 

[51] 


the  air  turn  green  and  are  not  edible,  but  poi- 
sonous. Early  or  new  potatoes  may  be  dug 
and  separated  from  the  vine  without  killing 
the  plant  or  retarding  its  growth.  Take  off 
two  or  three  of  the  largest  and  cover  up  the 
hole. 

The  crop  of  old  potatoes,  as  the  ripe  tubers 
are  called,  are  gathered  after  the  tops  die 
down,  by  digging  or  plowing  up  the  hills.  They 
may  be  left  in  the  ground  for  several  weeks 
and  dug  as  wanted.  Dig  them  all  before  first 
rain.  Let  the  potatoes  lie  in  the  sun  for  a  few 
hours  to  dry  before  gathering. 

More  pounds  of  potatoes  are  produced  than 
any  other  food  crop  in  the  world. 

Potato  Scab. 
Is  much  in  evidence  in  potato  crops  each 
year.  To  keep  it  under  control  the  seed  should 
first  be  dipped  in  some  disinfecting  solution. 
Two  kinds  are  used,  the  formaldehyde  and 
corrosive  sublimate  solution.  The  formalde- 
hyde is  prepared  by  pouring  a  pint  of  formal- 
dehyde into  30  gallons  of  water.  Dip  the  po- 
tato seed  in  this  for  two  hours,  covering  the 
barrel.  Potatoes  must  be  planted  soon  after 
dipping  or  spread  out  in  the  sun  to  dry. 


[52] 


We  have  Irish  tubers  and  sweet, 
With  river  and  valley  Burbank, 
And  raise  more  things  to  eat, 
Than  any  state  of  our  rank. 


SWEET  POTATOES 

Native  of  China  and  America. 

The  tubers  are  an  enlarged  growth  of  its 
underground  stems.  Its  aerial  stems  are  creep- 
ers and  leaf  and  flower  resemble  those  of  the 
morning  glory.  It  has  been  cultivated  as  a 
vegetable  from  time  immemorial  and  was  found 
among  the  Indians  when  this  country  was 
first  discovered.  It  is  believed  to  have  been 
an  important  crop  of  the  ancient  Chinese.  Its 
habit  proves  clearly  that  it  is  tropical  in  origin 
though  it  has  been  acclimatized  far  to  the 
north. 

It  is  found  in  three  varieties,  Southern 
Queen,  Yam  and  Nausemond.  The  sweet  po- 
tato is  similar  to  the  Irish  potato,  but  contains 
more  sugar.  In  starch  and  ash  content  they 
are  about  the  same.  It  does  best  in  a  warm 
sandy  loam  with  chemical  fertilizer  rich  in  pot- 
ash for  manuring  and  enriching  the  soil. 

After  spading  in  the  manure  throw  up  a 
ridge  two  feet  wide  with  a  trench  on  either 
side.  Plant  the  sprouts  on  the  side  of  the  ridge 
[53] 


and  water  the  vine  by  pouring  water  in  the 
trenches.  Start  the  sprouts  from  old  sweet 
potatoes,  cut  in  half  lengthwise,  and  place 
tubers  in  sand  with  the  eyes  uppermost,  using 
fresh  horse  manure  for  bottom  heat. 

Start  in  the  hot-bed  if  early  in  the  season. 

When  the  sprouts  are  from  two  to  four 
inches  long  and  have  shown  signs  of  rooting 
break  them  off  from  the  tuber  and  more  will 
sprout  until  the  parent  is  exhausted.  It  will 
take  a  month  for  young  sprouts  to  start.  The 
young  shoots  may  be  dipped  in  a  solution  of 
manure,  soil  and  water  before  planting.  The 
vine  will  send  out  joint  roots.  These  must  be 
cut  off  to  prevent  a  greater  growth  of  the  vine 
at  the  expense  of  the  growing  tubers.  The 
potatoes  can  be  kept  in  a  dry  place  for  two 
or  three  months. 


[54] 


"Lamb,  mint  sauce  and  peas, 
Fit  for  kings." 


PEAS 

Native  of  Persia  and  India. 

Our  garden  pea  was  cultivated  by  the  an- 
cient Greeks  and  Romans.  Peas  may  be  sown 
for  spring  and  summer  use.  For  spring  peas 
plant  in  January  and  they  will  ripen  in  May. 
Soak  the  seed  in  water  over  night.  Plant  in 
rows  about  four  inches  deep  and  three  feet 
apart.  It  is  not  necessary  to  furnish  support 
for  the  vines,  but  short  pieces  of  brush  placed 
between  the  rows  make  a  good  support,  if  you 
wish  to  go  to  that  trouble.  The  best  soil  is 
a  strong  clayey  loam  with  abundant  vegetable 
manure.  Prepare  the  soil  by  deep  plowing  or 
spading  and  mulch  often. 


[55] 


Garvanza  pea,  a  hermit,  I  see; 
Shut  up  in  his  cell, 
Of  What  use  can  you  be, 
Can  any  one  tell? 


GARVANZA  PEA 

Native  of  Mexico. 
Plant  the  seed  in  rows  about  two  inches 
deep  and  two  feet  apart.  The  plant  is  hardy 
and  of  upright  habit  and  needs  no  support.  It 
bears  but  one  pea  to  a  pod  and  it  is  very  slow 
work  shelling  them.  The  dried  pea  is  very 
hard  and  is  used  for  food  for  fattening  pigeons 
and  poultry. 

"Just  as  like  as  two  peas  in  a  pod." 

NILE  PEA 

Native  of  Egypt. 
In  habit  and  growth  it  resembles  the  Gar- 
vanza Pea,  but  it  goes  it  one  better,  it  has 
two  peas  to  the  pod.  Pick  the  peas  young  and 
they  are  very  sweet  and  hold  their  dark  green 
color  when  cooked.  The  dry  pea  is  used  in 
soup.  The  plant  is  very  hardy  and  can  be 
planted  late  in  the  season  and  does  not  require 
much  water  or  cultivation.  It  will  grow  in 
almost  any  soil. 

[56] 


"The  first  born  infant  of  the  Spring." 

RADISH 

Native  of  Southern  Asia. 

Sow  the  seed  from  January  to  May  in  shal- 
low trenches  about  half  an  inch  deep.  Cover 
over  with  soil  and  press  the  ground  down  over 
the  seed.  When  about  two  inches  high  thin 
out  to  one  every  three  inches.  It  grows  best 
in  sandy  soil.  Color  of  root  may  be  red,  white 
or  red  and  white  mixed. 

"Oh!  green  and  glorious  herbaceous  treat. 
It  would  tempt  the  dying  Anchorite  to  eat." 

RHUBARB  OR  PIE  PLANT 

Native  of  Siberia. 

Introduced  into  England  as  early  as  1575. 
The  Chinese  used  it  as  a  drug  2700  B.  C. 

It  may  be  planted  in  fall  or  spring,  using 
plants  raised  from  seed  or  dividing  the  old 
roots.  The  ground  should  be  deep  and  rich 
and  well  manured  as  it  is  a  rank  feeder.  The 
crown  of  the  root  should  be  placed  about  two 
inches  below  the  surface.  The  plant  will  grow 
leaves  large  enough  to  use  a  year  after  plant- 
ing. In  gathering  the  leaves  the  leaf  stalk 
should  be  bent  down  and  pulled  off  sideways, 
and  not  cut  off,  leaving  no  surface  to  decay.  It 
is  used  as  a  vegetable  and  for  drugs. 
[57] 


'The  feast  smells  well." 


SHALLOTS 

Native  of  Palestine. 

Like  the  garlic  in  habit,  increasing  from 
separation  of  the  bulb.  When  the  tops  begin 
to  wither  pull  up  the  plant  with  bulb  attached, 
tie  tops  together  in  bunches,  and  hang  up  in 
a  dry  place.  It  is  used  for  seasoning  soup  and 
gravy. 


"How  green  you  are  and  fresh." 

SPINACH 

Native  of  Persia. 

It  was  not  known  to  the  Ancients.  It  was 
a  novelty  in  Europe  in  the  16th  century. 

Spinach  is  of  Eastern  origin. 

Sow  in  shallow  furrows  two  feet  apart.  Thin 
out  to  one  every  six  inches.  Water  often, 
mulch  and  keep  free  from  weeds.  Irrigate  in 
open  trenches  along  the  side  of  the  rows  and 
cover,  after  water  disappears.  Like  lettuce,  it 
can  be  planted  any  month  of  the  year. 


[58] 


"Oh!  for  the  pies  that  mother  made." 

SQUASH  AND  PUMPKINS 

Native  of  North  America. 

Plant  seed  in  hills  about  six  feet  apart  eacV? 
way.  Place  about  four  seeds  in  a  hill  in  the 
form  of  a  square  six  inches  apart.  Thin  oui 
to  one  or  two  plants.  Plant  in  May  when  the 
soil  is  warm.  Nothing  is  gained  by  planting 
earlier  because  the  seed,  if  it  germinates,  will 
not  make  a  strong  root,  but  will  curl  up  and 
die. 

Of  the  small  variety  of  squash  you  can  leave 
two  plants  to  a  hill,  but  the  large  squash,  like 
the  Hubbard,  you  should  leave  but  one,  if  you 
wish  to  grow  large  squash. 

When  the  fruit  has  formed  cut  off  the  end 
of  the  vine  to  throw  the  strength  into  the  de- 
velopment of  the  fruit.  The  vine  has  male 
and  female  flowers.  Twice  as  many  male 
flowers,  which  soon  wilt  and  die.  Bees  and 
insects  carry  the  pollen  from  flower  to  flower 
making  strange  mixtures  in  the  family. 

Do  not  plant  different  kinds  of  squash  to- 
gether if  you  want  them  to  come  true.  Squash 
will  keep  for  months  in  a  dry  room  or  cellar. 
Great  care  should  be  taken  in  handling  squash 
[59] 


that  are  to  be  kept  through  the  winter.  Do 
not  break  off  the  short  stem,  or  handle  of  the 
squash,  or  bruise  them  in  moving  them  from 
field  to  store  house. 

You  can  irrigate  the  young  plants  for  a  few- 
weeks  if  the  weather  is  hot  and  the  soil  dry 
and  hard. 

The  Summer  Squash. 

Look  out  for  squash  bugs  and  small  yellow 
striped  beetles  and  destroy  them.  The  favorite 
squash  is  the  Hubbard.  It  is  a  large  dark  green 
warty  skin  squash,  but  the  meat  is  mealy  and 
delicious.  It  makes  good  pies  and  is  best 
baked  or  boiled.  The  summer  squash  are  of 
two  varieties,  red  and  white.  Pick  the  young 
squash,  as  they  are  very  hard,  when  left  to 
ripen  on  the  vines. 

English  Marrow  Squash. 

The  English  Marrow  is  a  long  white  squash 
a  foot  or  more  in  length.  They  are  very  fine 
boiled  or  cut  and  fried  in  batter,  as  you  cook 
egg  plant.  Pick  the  young  squash  as  the  old 
squash  are  hard  and  useless. 

The  New  England  Pie  Pumpkins. 

The  New  England  pie  pumpkins  are  the  ones 
our  mother  used  for  making  pies.  They  are 
about  ten  inches  in  diameter,  hard  skin  and 
of  a  reddish  color.  They  are  used  when  ripe, 
and  are  often  cut  up  and  dried  for  future  use. 
[60] 


"Colored  with  crimson,  mellow,  rich  and  ripe." 


TOMATOES 

Native  of  Peru  and  South  America. 
Less  than  a  century  ago  it  was  almost  un- 
known in  northern  gardens.    It  was  cultivated 
as  a  novelty  and  called  "Love  Apples." 


"Never,  the  little  seed  stops  in  its  growing. 
More  and  more  richly  the  rose  heart  keeps  glowing, 
Till  from  its  nourishing  stem  it  has  riven, 
The  delicious  love  apple,  for  which  it  has  striven." 


Sow  the  seed  in  boxes  and  place  in  the  hot- 
bed in  January.  Prepare  the  soil  in  boxes  by 
mixing  leaf  mold  and  sand  with  a  little  well 
rotted  cow  manure.  Sow  the  seed  broadcast 
and  work  the  seed  into  the  soil  with  the  fingers 
and  cover  lightly,  pressing  the  sand  down 
gently  to  settle  it  around  the  seed.  Water 
lightly  every  day  and  do  not  let  the  ground 
dry  out.  When  the  plants  are  an  inch  high 
thin  out  those  in  the  box  or  transplant  them 
to  another  box  placing  the  plants  three  inches 
apart  and  remove  the  box  to  the  cold  frame 
in  the  day  time  if  the  weather  is  pleasant.  Put 
under  the  glass  at  night  to  protect  them  from 

[61] 


the  frost  or  cover  the  cold  frame.  The  plants 
should  be  three  or  four  inches  high,  dark  green 
in  color  and  strong  and  hardy  when  ready  to 
transplant  to  the  garden.  If  they  are  sickly 
and  yellow  you  have  given  them  too  much 
heat  and  not  enough  water.  Do  not  trans- 
plant them  to  the  garden  until  after  danger 
from  frost  has  passed,  about  the  first  of  May. 
Place  your  line  marking  out  your  squares 
about  four  feet  apart  and  dig  a  hole  four  inches 
deep  with  your  vineyard  hoe  at  each  corner  of 
the  square.  This  will  place  your  vines  four 
feet  apart  each  way  and  give  plenty  of  room 
for  the  vine  to  spread.  Remember  that  straight 
rows  look  better  than  crooked  and  haphazard 
ones.  Take  the  young  plants  out  of  the  box 
with  a  sharp  stick,  loosen  the  earth  around  the 
roots  and  be  sure  to  secure  a  plant  with  full 
unbroken  roots.  Examine  the  leaves,  root  and 
head,  and  if  weak  or  imperfect  discard  it.  Use 
only  perfect  specimens  as  the  future  plant  will 
never  do  well  unless  started  right.  Place  the 
young  plant  in  the  hole,  spread  out  the  roots 
and  cover  them  with  a  little  fine  soil.  Then 
pour  on  about  a  cupful  of  water  to  settle  the 
earth  around  the  roots  and  to  supply  moisture 
for  the  new  roots  Which  must  start  before  the 
plant  grows  in  its  new  location.  After  the 
moisture  disappears  cover  the  plant  with  earth 

[62] 


half  the  distance  from  leaves  to  root.  The  hole 
can  be  filled  up  later  when  the  plant  is  larger 
and  you  are  working  the  soil  loose  around  the 
plant.  This  method  of  planting  gives  the  root 
a  deep  setting  and  less  moisture  is  required. 
Do  not  water  the  plant  unless  the  weather  is 
very  warm  and  no  rain  has  fallen.  If  you  con- 
tinue to  water  the  vine  you  will  have  a  large 
rank  growth  and  small  fruit.  If  the  weather 
is  hot  protect  the  young  vines  with  a  shingle 
placed  in  the  ground  to  the  south,  to  protect 
from  the  rays  of  the  sun.  Or  cover  with  an 
open  end  tin  can  for  a  few  days.  The  can  is 
better  as  it  protects  the  plant  from  the  cut 
worm.  This  worm  works  at  night.  See  chap- 
ter on  Pests. 

Do  not  plant  all  your  stock,  reserve  about 
a  third  as  many  as  you  have  planted  for  re- 
planting those  that  die  or  are  destroyed.  When 
the  plants  are  eight  inches  high  pinch  off 
the  top  of  the  vine.  This  will  make  the  plant 
short  and  stocky  and  throw  more  strength  into 
vine  and  fruit  buds  just  forming.  You  can  tie 
them  up  to  a  stake  or  a  trellis,  but  the  vines 
will  bend  down  and  break  from  their  own 
weight.  It  is  just  as  well  to  let  them  spread 
out  over  the  ground  and  when  the  fruit  rip- 
ens place  the  fruit  on  top  of  the  vine  to  keep 
it  off  the  ground.  Pick  the  tomatoes  as  they 
[63] 


ripen  as  they  soon  rot  if  left  on  the  vines.  The 
vines  will  have  a  good  many  white  and  green 
unripe  tomatoes  on  them  in  the  fall.  These 
can  be  made  to  ripen  if  you  pull  the  vine  up 
with  fruit  attached  and  hang  it  in  a  dry,  warm 
place.  The  fruit  will  ripen  sooner  if  tied  up 
in  a  small  paper  bag.  The  large  smooth  round 
tomato  is  the  best  for  canning  and  market  use. 
The  Ponderoso  is  a  large  pink  variety.  The 
cross  of  the  pink  and  the  red  are  desirable  for 
their  size  and  flavor.  Cross  the  two  varieties 
by  planting  them  close  together.  The  early 
red  tomato  is  smaller  than  those  ripening  later, 
but  they  come  in  two  weeks  earlier.  The  large 
yellow  tomato  is  very  showy  when  dished  with 
the  red  in  salad.  It  is  not  as  good  flavor  as 
the  red  and  never  will  be  as  popular.  There 
are  small  red  and  yellow  tomatoes.  These  are 
used  for  pickles. 

The  tin  can  can  be  used  for  planting  the 
young  tomato  plants  taken  from  the  box  in 
the  hot-bed  and  grown  in  the  can  until  from 
four  to  six  inches  high.  Transplant  from  tin 
can  to  open  ground  about  May  first. 

Tin  Cans. 

Take  a  large  tomato  can  and  unsolder  the 
ends  and  side,  leaving  a  bent  piece  of  tin.  Tie 
the  can  with  a  piece  of  string  to  hold  it  to- 
[64] 


gether  and  place  it  upon  end  on  a  board,  then 
fill  with  earth  and  plant  the  young  tomatoes. 
When  you  transplant  them  to  open  ground 
cut  the  string,  open  the  side  of  the  can  and 
you  will  have  a  ball  of  earth  covering  and  pro- 
tecting the  roots  of  the  plant. 


[65] 


'Much  may  be  said  on  both  sides." 


TURNIPS 

Native  of  Armenia,  Russia  and  Scandinavia. 

Plant  seed  in  rows  an  inch  deep  and  a  foot 
and  a  half  apart.  If  the  weather  is  showery 
at  the  time  of  sowing  the  seed  it  will  germi- 
nate quickly.  Thin  plants,  the  young  plants, 
should  be  kept  growing  with  frequent  water- 
ing. It  is  a  general  favorite  as  a  vegetable. 
It  is  good  for  stock  but  the  amount  of  nutri- 
tious matter  is  small. 


[66] 


"Everything  that  flowers  in  beauty,  in  the  air  of 
heaven,  draws  its  fairness,'  its  vigor,  from  its  roots. 

"Nothing  living  can  blossom  into  fruitage  unless 
through  nourishing  stalks,  deep-planted  in  the  com- 
mon soil." 


ROOTS 

The  roots  are  the  vital  part  of  the  plant. 
When  the  ground  is  moist  the  plant  throws 
out  fine  white  thread-like  roots,  which  are 
the  feeders.  These  small  roots  take  in  nour- 
ishment from  the  soil  and  the  sap  distributes 
it  throughout  the  plant  to  the  uttermost  branch 
and  leaf,  going  up  through  the  inner  bark  and 
down  through  the  outer  bark  to  the  roots. 

The  plant  breathes  through  the  leaves.  The 
dark  green  matter  in  the  leaves  is  necessary 
for  the  formation  of  starch  without  which  the 
leaves  turn  yellow  and  wither  and  the  plant 
dies.  When  the  plant  is  dry  and  suffering  for 
want  of  moisture  these  small  roots  dry  up  and 
become  hard.  Supplied  with  moisture  a  new 
crop  of  small  roots  will  start  out  to  take  up 
water  and  food.  It  is  essential  that  vegetables 
shall  be  furnished  with  an  abundance  of  water 
and  not  allowed  to  dry  up  or  wilt  and  have 
any  set  back  if  you  would  grow  large  and  suc- 
culent fruit. 


[67] 


Let  us  first  irrigate, 
Then  let  us  investigate, 
Why  plants  luxuriate 
With  water  and  muriate. 


IRRIGATION 

Vegetables  require  to  be  watered  often  and 
must  never  be  neglected  and  allowd  to  dry  up 
or  wither.  If  you  plant  in  summer  and  the 
ground  is  level  make  a  trench  on  the  side  and 
irrigate  bed  from  below,  letting  the  water  per- 
colate through  the  soil.  This  method  keeps 
the  soil  loose  on  top  and  prevents  its  baking 
and  cracking  by  the  sun.  If  your  soil  is  sandy 
you  will  not  have  this  trouble  and  can  irrigate 
bed  on  top  by  sprinkling  with  water. 

Lettuce,  celery,  radishes  and  plants  that  are 
about  90  degrees  water  do  well  in  summer  by 
this  treatment,  keeping  the  ground  thoroughly 
wet,  without  waste  of  water  and  everything 
is  watered  evenly.  Water  should  be  used  once 
or  twice  a  week.  Do  not  water  too  often.  Let 
the  roots  absorb  the  salts  after  the  water  has 
done  its  work  and  do  not  drown  the  plant  by 
too  much  water  and  kill  it  with  kindness. 

The  French  peasant  grows  vegetables  in  his 
little  garden  and  often  secures  four  or  five 
crops  a  season.    He  secures  this  result  by  sub- 

[68] 


irrigation,  by  the  use  of  perforated  four  inch 
tiling,  which  is  buried  in  the  ground  about 
two  feet  deep  and  seven  feet  apart  in  straight 
rows.  A  piece  of  sewer  pipe  with  an  elbow  is 
placed  at  the  end  of  the  tiling  with  opening 
just  above  the  ground  in  which  to  pour  the 
water,  or  place  the  hose  to  fill  the  tiling  with 
water.  When  the  tiling  is  full  of  water  it  will 
spread  out  for  three  and  a  half  feet  on  each  side, 
irrigating  a  space  seven  feet  wide. 

Straw  can  be  put  over  the  tiling  before  fill- 
ing in  the  trench.  This  will  prevent  the  holes 
in  the  tiling  from  getting  stopped  up  with  par- 
ticles of  earth.  Lay  the  tile  in  the  trench  on 
a  dead  level.  The  French  plant  their  seed  in 
rows  immediately  over  the  tiling,  but  it  may 
do  as  well  to  plant  between  the  tiling. 


[69] 


Not  a  nice  subject  to  be  sure, 

But  plants  thrive  better  with  manure. 


MANURES 

Practically  all  organic  manures  contain  ni- 
trogen. Green  weeds  turned  under  the  ground 
form  humus  and  humus  is  a  storehouse  for 
nitrogen.  Nitrogen  is  furnished  in  the  most 
available  form,  in  nitrate  of  soda.  Nitrates  are 
formed  more  rapidly  in  warm  weather.  Nitrate 
is  formed  by  the  action  of  microscopic  organ- 
isms. All  fertilizers  must  undergo  this  process 
of  nitration  before  they  are  turned  into  plant 
food. 

Leguminous  crops,  such  as  field  peas, 
vetches,  burr  clover,  etc.,  when  turned  under 
the  ground  and  allowed  to  rot,  supply  the  soil 
with  nitrogen  in  addition  to  humus.  The  leg- 
umes have  the  power  to  collect  and  store  nitro- 
gen, which  other  plants  utilize  as  food.  All 
legumes  should  be  turned  under  about  the  time 
of  blossoming  to  get  the  best  results.  Hen 
manure  should  be  mixed  with  land  plaster  or 
gypsum. 

Barnyard  manure  should  be  confined  in  a 
pit  with  a  clay  bottom  or  in  a  rock  built  tank 
with  a  cement  bottom  or  a  tank  built  entirely 

[70] 


with  cement,  sand  and  rock.  The  pit  should 
have  a  cover.  Wet  the  manure  and  turn  over 
two  or  three  times  during  the  summer.  Horse 
and  cow  manure  should  be  mixed,  as  they  are 
helpful  to  each  other.  Gypsum  should  be  add- 
ed to  prevent  loss  of  ammonia  or  spread  on 
the  stable  floor  and  thrown  out  with  the  man- 
ure. 


NITRATE  OF  SODA 

Is  a  very  stimulating  plant  food.  Very 
little  should  be  used  at  one  time  and  it 
may  be  rolled  or  pounded  fine  and  mixed  with 
sand,  about  half  and  half,  before  it  is  used. 
Apply  it  in  small  quantities  a  few  days  apart 
as  a  tonic,  to  get  the  best  results.  Place  the 
dry  mixture  on  the  ground  and  wash  it  into 
the  soil  with  water.  A  tablespoonful  to  each 
plant  is  enough.  Under  its  influence  you  will 
see  a  decided  change.  The  leaves  will  turn 
darker  green  and  new  roots  will  start  and  the 
plant  will  make  rapid  growth.  Care  must  be 
taken  not  to  place  nitrate  of  soda  too  near  the 
stem  or  leaves  as  it  will  burn  and  destroy  the 
life.  Placed  around  the  plant  the  ground  will 
absorb  the  salts,  or  it  can  be  hoed  into  the  soil. 
Water  will  dissolve  it  and  carry  it  down  to 

[71] 


the  roots.  A  small  quantity  does  a  great  amount 
of  good,  while  the  use  of  large  quantities  is 
harmful.  The  yield  of  the  crop  will  be  limited 
only  by  the  quantity  of  nitrates  the  plant  can 
assimilate.  It  is  of  special  use  for  forcing,  and 
the  rapid  development  of  vines  and  young 
plants.  It  does  its  best  work  in  one  season 
with  quick  results  and  large  returns.  It  will 
sweeten  sour  land.  Nitrate  of  soda  is  supposed 
to  have  been  formed  by  the  gradual  decomposi- 
tion of  the  manures  of  large  and  small  marine 
animals  and  vegetable  matter. 


NITRATE  OF  SODA 

Is  found  in  Chili.  The  beds  of  nitrate 
are  several  thousand  feet  above  the  sea 
in  a  rainless  region  on  a  desert  plain.  The 
deposit  is  about  twenty  miles  wide  and  seven- 
ty-five long.  The  surface  of  the  bed  is  cov- 
ered with  earth  and  rock  called  costra.  This 
varies  in  thickness  from  three  to  ten  feet.  It 
is  blasted  and  removed  to  uncover  the  caliche 
or  crude  nitrate  which  averages  three  feet  in 
thickness.  The  crude  nitrate  is  dissolved  and 
refined  in  boiling  water  in  huge  vats.  The 
water  is  run  off  and  the  nitrate  is  collected  in 
crystals  like  common  salt.  This  is  the  nitrate 
[72] 


of  soda  of  commerce.  It  retails  at  from  six  to 
seven  cents  a  pound.  Ton  lots  are  much  less. 
In  hilly  land  well  rotted  manure  spread  on 
the  ground  in  early  spring  and  plowed  under 
does  more  good  than  the  old  way  of  carting  the 
fresh  manure  out  in  the  field  and  letting  the 
rain  wash  it  out  all  winter.  On  level  ground 
the  reverse  will  apply. 


73| 


"Plants  are  an  organized  being,  originating  from  a 
germ  and  nourished  solely  by  inorganic  substance." 


PLANT  FOOD 

The  Assimilation  of  Salts. 

Plants  require  water,  air,  light  and  heat,  cul- 
tivation and  fertile  soil.  Every  crop  removes 
from  the  soil  a  certain  amount  of  plant  food. 
Manure  and  nitrates  must  be  added  to  restore 
fertility.  Plant  food  in  the  soil  comes  from 
decayed  vegetable  matter,  salts  and  minerals 
found  in  the  ground. 

The  three  constituents  of  the  soil  most  drawn 
upon  by  vegetables  are  potash,  phosphoric  acid 
and  nitrogen.  Of  these  most  soils  contain  lim- 
ited amounts  in  available  form  and  by  contin- 
uous cropping  the  soil  becomes  exhausted  and 
the  plant  suffers  from  hunger  and  does  not 
thrive.  By  adding  fertilizer  to  the  soil  you 
furnish  the  plant  its  necessary  food. 

Humus. 
Humus  is  the  organic  matter  of  dead  leaves, 
plants  and  animals  that  have  lived  and  died 
upon  the  land.  Leaf  mold  and  peat  are  ex- 
amples. Humus  is  not  essential  to  plant  life. 
Plants  do  not  feed  upon  humus  but  upon  its 
component  parts,  potash,  phosphoric  acid  and 
nitrogen,  which  are  formed  from  decomposed 

[74] 


organic  matter.  Plant  food  contained  in  leaves 
and  litter  cannot*  be  used  by  the  plant  before 
it  is  thoroughly  decomposed. 

Lime. 

Lime  is  often  used,  not  as  a  fertilizer,  but 
as  a  means  to  improve  heavy  soils  and  correct 
the  acidity  in  sour  lands. 

Potash. 
Potash  is  necessary  for  the  perfect  develop- 
ment of  the  fruit  bud,  the  filling  out  of  the 
fleshy  portion  of  the  fruit  and  the  formation 
of  sugar  and  starch.  All  these  give  the  fruit 
its  rich  color  and  flavor. 

Phosphoric  Acid. 
Phosphoric  acid  enables  the  plant  to  assimi- 
late or  make  use  of  the  other  ingredients  in  the 
soil.  It  has  to  do  with  the  formation  of  al- 
bumen and  hastens  the  maturity  of  the  fruit. 
Phosphoric  acid  is  necessary  for  seed  forma- 
tion and  fertility. 

Nitrogen. 
Nitrogen  promotes  the  growth  of  the  leaf 
and  stalk,  increasing  the  green  to  a  darker 
shade  in  the  leaf  and  plant.  Indication  of  ex- 
cessive nitrogen  sometimes  means  that  potash 
and  phosphoric  acid  are  not  in  sufficient  supply 
and  is  indicated  by  rank  growth  of  top  and 
imperfect  blossoms. 

[75] 


Wood  Ashes. 
Wood  ashes   contain   an   average  of  5   per 
cent  potash  and  one  and  a  half  per  cent  of  phos- 
phoric acid.    It  is  good  for  loosening  heavy  soil. 

Virgin  Soil. 

Virgin  soil  will  produce  more  and  larger 
fruit  and  vegetables  than  land  that  has  been 
cropped  for  years,  for  the  reason  that  it  is  rich 
in  available  plant  food. 

Carbide  (lime  and  charcoal)  used  in  making 
acetylene  gas  is  good  to  put  on  clay  or  adobe 
soil  to  make  it  porous  and  soft.  Use  the  resi- 
due around  plants  and  vines  to  kill  bugs,  in- 
sects and  worms.  When  dry,  grind  the  lime 
residue  up  fine  and  spread  over  the  ground 
and  dig  in,  or  if  in  liquid  form,  sprinkle  evenly 
over  the  ground  and  rake  under. 

Plants,  trees  and  vegetables  die  of  old  age; 
when  their  alloted  time  on  earth  has  passed 
they  will  wilt  and  die,  just  like  animals.  If 
vegetables  or  plants  are  not  renewed  from 
seed  and  given  the  necessary  new  life  by  nat- 
ure-crossing, but  are  renewed  by  cuttings,  the 
plant  will  soon  become  exhausted  and  die  and 
a  desirable  variety  may  disappear.  Many 
varieties  of  apples  and  potatoes  formerly  in 
high  favor  have  died  out  for  this  reason.  The 
life  of  plants  and  vegetables  may  be  prolonged 
[76] 


and  productiveness  greatly  increased  by  feed- 
ing the  proper  plant  food.  Study  the  wants  of 
your  plants  and  supply  the  necessary  manures. 
The  plant  itself  will  plainly  indicate  what  its 
requirements  are  to  the  observing  gardener, 
and  a  soil  analysis  is  not  necessary.  The  follow- 
ing compositions  of  plant  food  are  in  general 
use: 

Nitrogenous  manures  are  composed  of  dried 
blood  tankage,  bone  meal,  nitrate  of  soda,  sulphate 
of  ammonia. 

Phosphate  manures,  tankage  bone  meal, 
super-phosphates,  basic  slag. 

Potash  manure,  muriate-potash,  sulphate  of 
potash,  kainit,  wood  ashes. 


177] 


He  who  produces  a  new  plant,  or  vegetable,  is  a 
benefactor  to  mankind. 

Luther  Burbank,  your  achievements  are  a  monu- 
ment that  will  live  long  after  you  are  gone.     .     .     . 


CROSSING 

Crossing  of  different  varieties  of  plants  may 
be  done  by  design  or  accident.  Accidental 
crossing  is  done  by  bees  and  insects  carrying 
the  pollen,  attached  to  their  legs,  bodies,  or 
antennae,  from  one  flower  to  another. 

By  design  of  man,  by  placing  the  pollen  in 
certain  female  flowers  with  a  fine  brush  and 
securing  against  further  accidental  polleniza- 
tion,  by  covering  the  flower  with  a  paper  bag, 
tied  at  the  mouth  around  the  base  of  the  blos- 
som. Also  by  planting  different  varieties  of  the 
same  kind  close  together. 

A  single  cross  of  two  varieties,  say  of  squash, 
may  produce  a  new  variety  much  stronger  and 
more  productive  than  either  parent,  but  the 
second  planting  of  the  seed,  from  the  new  vari- 
ety, will  often  prove  a  failure.  It  may  be  only 
one  in  a  thousand  that  proves  and  holds  good. 
The  writer  once  had  a  new  variety  of  squash, 
a  cross  between  the  Summer  and  Hubbard.  It 
produced  twenty-seven  good  size  squash,  aver- 
aging seven  pounds  each,  or  189  pounds  to  one 
vine,  but  the  plants  from  this  seed  were  only 
ordinary. 

[78] 


"Fie  upon  thee,  pest." 

PESTS 

The  Cut  Worm. 

A  light  olive  green  worm  about  an  inch  long 
with  strong  mandibles  or  nippers.  It  is  found 
in  the  loose  soil  at  the  place  it  had  its  last 
meal.  It  goes  into  the  ground  in  the  daytime 
and  works  its  nefarious  trade  at  night,  like 
any  robber.  It  changes  from  a  worm  into  a 
red  chrysalis  and  again  into  a  moth,  called  the 
gothic  dart  moth.    Kill  him  on  sight. 

To  prevent  the  cut  worm  cutting  off  your 
tomato  and  other  plants,  wrap  paper  around 
the  stem  before  planting,  as  he  will  not  cut 
through  the  paper.  Or  sprinkle  wood  ashes 
around  the  plant.  He  does  not  like  to  crawl 
over  the  ashes.  Kainit  of  potash  salt  is  often 
helpful  in  destroying  this  and  other  under- 
ground pests. 

There  is  a  small  white  worm  that  destroys 
young  squash  vines  by  boring  into  the  stem 
and  root  and  killing  the  vine.  It  is  the  larvae  of 
a  small  beetle  with  two  yellow  stripes  on  its 
back  and  looks  like  a  lady-bug.  It  is  called  the 
cucumber  beetle.  Use  lime  around  the  root 
to  destroy  the  worm.  Some  may  think  toads 
are  a  pest,  if  found  in  large  numbers.  No,  the 
toad  is  the  gardeners  best  friend.  It  destroys 
cut  worms,  bugs  and  beetles. 
[79] 


Corn  Worms. 
Open  the  ear  of  corn  while  in  the  silk  and 
you  will  find  a  large  pink  and  white  worm  eat- 
ing its  way  through  the  young  corn  kernels, 
down  the  husk  into  the  cob.  It  is  the  larvae  of 
a  beautiful  moth.  The  larvae  enters  the  ground 
to  pupitate,  after  filling  up  on  the  milky  corn. 
Destroy  the  worm  "before  it  turns." 

Aphis. 
It  attacks  flowers  and  leaves.  It  is  a  small 
winged  insect.  Color  white,  yellow  and  brown. 
They  are  about  three-eighths  of  an  inch  long 
with  soft  bodies.  They  are  easily  killed  with  a 
spray  of  soap  and  water,  or  take  tobacco  stems 
and  boil  them  in  water,  use  the  juice  with  more 
water  added  to  spray  the  plants.  Whale  oil 
soap  dissolved  in  water  is  a  good  compound, 
but  rather  disagreeable  to  use. 

Slugs  and  Snails. 
They  generally  work  at  night  and  can  be 
found  in  the  daytime  under  the  leaves  and  in 
dark  places,  under  boards.  Take  a  lantern  and 
hunt  them  at  night.  Slacked  lime  placed 
around  the  plant  will  keep  them  away.  Salt 
placed  on  their  bodies  will  dissolve  them. 


[80] 


Squash  Bugs. 

Look  out  for  squash  bugs  in  the  month  of 
June.  The  bug  is  about  half  an  inch  long,  the 
female  being  a  little  larger  than  the  male  and 
they  are  usually  found  in  pairs.  The  female 
lays  its  eggs  on  the  under  part  of  the  stem  of 
the  leaf.  The  eggs  are  brown,  the  size  of  a 
pin  head  and  arranged  in  rows.  The  young 
bugs  grow  rapidly  and  are  as  destructive  as 
the  parents.  The  small  bugs  are  bluish  black 
and  soft,  without  wings.  The  adult  is  about 
three-fourths  of  an  inch  long  with  black  body 
and  a  narrow  line  of  yellow  running  around 
the  outside  of  the  body  and  head.  The  body 
under  the  wings  is  red.  They  work  at  night, 
but  are  found  around  the  stem  and  under  the 
leaves  in  the  early  morning.  Catch  them  and 
immerse  them  in  kerosene,  placed  in  a  tin  can. 
Put  lime  water  around  the  roots  and  dust 
slacked  lime  over  the  plant  around  its  base  to 
keep  them  away. 

Use  tobacco  stems  soaked  in  hot  water  and 
cool  before  using.  Pour  the  mixture  around 
the  roots  of  squash  and  melon  vines  to  kill  the 
larvae  of  the  striped  beetle,  which  bore  into 
the  roots  and  kill  the  vines. 

Saltpetre  will  kill  insects  and  is  a  good  ma- 
nure. Dissolve  one  pound  of  saltpetre  in  four 
gallons  of  water. 

[81] 


Weeds. 

If  we  do  not  keep  the  garden  clear  of  weeds 
they  will  rob  the  vegetables  of  plant  food  and 
moisture,  as  they  are  stronger  and  the  vege- 
table will  dry  up  and  die.  We  are  doing  our 
best  to  grow  vegetables,  and  the  sooner  the 
young  weeds  are  destroyed  the  better.  If  al- 
lowed to  grow  the  roots  get  longer  and  harder 
to  pull  up.  Weeds  are  very  unsightly  in  the 
garden  and  should  never  be  allowed  to  grow, 
even  in  unused  places.  A  garden  does  not  look 
thrifty,  or  neat,  if  one  weed  is  in  sight. 

A  certain  kind  of  weed  will  grow  thickly  in 
a  certain  place  for  one  year  and  the  next  sea- 
son almost  disappear.  The  seed  seems  to  run 
out  and  the  plant  food  is  exhausted  for  that 
kind  of  weed. 

The  pig-weed  is  the  most  common  of  our 
weeds.  When  you  think  you  have  hoed  up  all 
the  weeds  this  small  summer  weed  will  grow 
fast  and  you  will  have  to  go  over  the  same 
ground  two  or  three  times  before  you  have 
killed  them  all.  The  ground  is  full  of  weed 
seed.  As  you  plow  or  turn  up  new  soil  you 
will  expose  seed  that  have  been  waiting  gen- 
erations for  a  chance  to  grow.  You  can  never 
get  rid  of  weeds  in  the  garden,  but  discourage 
their  growth  with  the  hoe  and  never  allow  a 
weed  to  mature  and  scatter  its  seed. 

You  can  kill  weeds  and  grass  on  a  path  or 
playground  by  sprinkling  the  weeds  with  a  hot 
brine  of  salt  and  water. 

[82] 


Gophers  and  Moles. 

Set  a  trap  as  soon  as  you  discover  an  open 
hole  or  fresh  mound  of  earth,  where  the  gopher 
has  thrown  the  dirt  out.  Place  the  trap  in  as 
far  as  you  can  reach,  about  a  foot,  and  cover 
up  the  hole.  Be  careful  when  you  pull  the  trap 
out,  as  you  may  have  caught  him  by  the  skin 
of  the  belly  or  one  toe  and  will  tear  the  skin 
and  he  will  escape.  If  the  trap  does  not  come 
out  easily  dig  him  out  and  take  no  chances. 
Gophers  are  herbivorous  and  destroy  vegeta- 
bles, plants  and  trees.  You  can  poison  them 
with  a  little  arsenic  placed  in  a  turnip,  carrot, 
raisin  or  prune.  Place  the  poisoned  fruit  in 
the  hole  and  cover  up  the  opening.  Use  gloves 
on  your  hands  when  you  set  a  trap  or  use 
poison,  to  keen  the  scent  of  your  body  from 
the  animal  you  wish  to  destroy.  Sometimes 
you  can  drown  him  out  with  water  from  the 
garden  hose. 


[83] 


Moles. 

Moles  are  insectivorous  and  do  not  de- 
stroy vegetation,  with  premeditation  and  afore- 
thought. They  sometimes  work  in  a  new 
sown  bed  and  push  the  ground  up,  disarrange 
the  seed  and  even  kill  young  plants  by  up- 
rooting them.  They  make  these  burrows 
when  they  are  hunting  for  worms  and  insects, 
but  it  is  just  as  well  not  to  have  them  for  vis- 
itors. Cats  will  catch  and  eat  gophers  but 
they  do  not  like  moles  or  blue  jays.  Some- 
times you  can  catch  a  mole  in  a  gopher  trap, 
but  it  is  an  accident  and  not  worth  the  trouble 
of  setting  a  trap.  This  is  the  best  way  to  de- 
stroy them.  Watch  and  catch  them  working 
and  pressing  the  earth  up ;  force  a  spade  down 
behind  the  moving  earth  and  throw  the  mole 
out  and  destroy-  him.  Moles  may  be  driven 
away  by  obstructing  their  passageways  with 
sticks  dipped  in  tar. 


[84] 


BORDEAUX  MIXTURE 

This  is  the  most  common  spray  in  use  and 
is  the  reason  we  give  the  recipe  for  making 
it.  It  will  kill  the  scale,  mildew,  worms  and 
diseases  of  plants  and  trees. 

Dissolve  four  pounds  of  sulphate  of  copper 
in  four  or  more  gallons  of  water.  Take  four 
pounds  of  unslacked  lime  and  place  in  a  tub 
and  add  water  until  slacked.  When  the  lime 
has  cooled,  pour  it  into  the  copper  solution. 
Mix  the  fluid  by  constant  stirring.  Add  water 
to  make  40  gallons.  Strain  through  a  cloth  or 
burlap  before  using,  so  as  not  to  clog  up  the 
fine  mesh  of  the  spraying  machine. 


[85] 


TO  THE  READER 


I  hope  the  book  will  strike  you  right, 
For  I  have  tried  with  all  my  might. 

And  trust,  a  tiny  ray  of  light, 
May  cross  my  path  to  make  it  bright. 


[86] 


AN  APOLOGY 


Reader,  excuse  my  verse  and  jingle, 
Where  grey-matter  and  soil  so  intermingle, 
The  subject  was  so  dirt  dry, 
A  bit  of  fun  I  thought  I'd  try. 


[THE  END.] 
[87] 


INDEX 


Page 

A  Man  and  A  Hoe 3 

Aphis 80 

Apology,    An 87 

Artichokes     16-17 

Artichokes,  Jerusalem 17 

Artichokes,   Cardoons 17 

Asparagus  18-19-20 

Assimilation  of  Salts,  The    74 

Beans  21-22-23-24 

Beets  25 

Bordeaux  Mixture 85 

Brussel  Sprouts 26 

Cabbage  28 

Cantaloupe 43 

Carrots  29 

Casaba  Melon 43 

Cauliflower    27 

Celeriac 31 

Celery  30 

Chard   32 

Chives 32 

Citron  Melons 44 

Collards   35 

Corn    33-34 

Corn  Salad  and  Fetticus. . .     35 

Corn  Worms 80 

Crossing 78 

Cucumber 35 

Cut  Worms 79 

Dandelion 36 


Page 

Dedicated  to 2 

Dent  Corn 33 

Directions  for  Planting  and 

Preparation  of  Soil 12 

Egg  Plant... 37 

Endives   36 

English  Marrow  Squash. . .  60 

Garlic 38 

Garvanza  Pea 56 

Gophers  and  Moles 83 

Herbes 39 

Hinged  Man 7 

Horse  Beans * 24 

Horse  Radish 38 

Hot  Bed 9 

Humus   74 

Introduction   6 

Implements   8 

Irrigation  68-69 

Kale 39 

Kohl  Rabi 39 

Leek 41 

Lentils 41 

Lettuce 40 

Lima   Beans 23 

Lime   75 

Manures  70-71 

Melons  42-43-44 

Moles    84 


INDEX 


Page 

Muskmelon   42 

New    England   Pie    Pump- 
kins        60 

Nile  Pea 56 

Nitrate  of  Soda 71-72-73 

Nitrogen 75 

Nutmeg  Melon 43 

Okra  or  Gumbo 48 

Onions  45-46-47 

Oyster  Plant 48 

Parsnips  48 

Peas  55-56 

Peppers 49 

Phosphoric  Acid 75 

Pests   79  to  84 

Pie  Plant 57 

Plant  Food 74  to  77 

Popcorn  34 

Potash 75 

Potatoes  50  to  54 

Potatoes,  Sweet 53-54 

Potato  Onion 47- 

Potato  Scab 52 

Preface  4-5 

Pumpkins  59-60 


Page 

Radish  57 

Rhubarb 57 

Rocambole  38 

Roots 67 

Salsify 48 

Seed  10-11 

Shallots 58 

Slugs 80 

Snails   80 

Spinach 58 

Squash 59-60 

Squash  Bugs 81 

Summer  Squash,  The 60 

Sweet  Corn 33 

Table  of  Planting  in  Cali- 
fornia   13-14-15 

The  Garden  Patch 1 

Tin  Cans 64-65 

To  the  Reader 86 

Tomatoes  61  to  65 

Turnips 66 

Virgin  Soil 76 

Watermelon 42 

Weeds 82 

Wood  Ashes 76 


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